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Bill Simmons shares brutal New Orleans Pelicans assessment that will really concern fans, ‘I don’t want to panic’

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aikansh Chaudhary | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 6:56 PM ET

The New Orleans Pelicans have been stuck in mediocrity for years and there seems to be no way out.

Over the years, the NBA has grown in popularity, which has, of course, led to conversations about a potential league expansion.

While adding new teams will be exciting, the NBA also needs to ensure its current franchises are doing well. Unfortunately, one franchise hardly fits that description, and it’s none other than the New Orleans Pelicans.

Despite having access to multiple top-notch players, the Pelicans have hardly made a dent come playoff time. Now, NBA analyst Bill Simmons believes NOLA fans have a major upcoming concern as well.

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Bill Simmons is worried about the New Orleans Pelicans’ stadium lease expiring soon

Even though the Pelicans are in the Western Conference, they have one of the smallest stadiums in the league as the Smoothie King Center has a capacity of just 17,791.

That too hasn’t been filled to its full capacity in recent years due to the lack of success in the league. Adding salt to the wound is what Simmons pointed out on his podcast.

“Specifically, we’re talking about New Orleans now, I don’t want to panic about New Orleans basketball, but I’m also not sure there is as big a fan base that would care that much, but that lease of Smoothie King Center ends in 2029.

“New Orleans is an experiment that hasn’t worked out in professional basketball for 50-plus years. I don’t know what the worth of that team is in the current circumstances,” Simmons said.

For context, the Pelicans have made just four postseason appearances since the 2014-15 NBA season. Even in those runs, they have faced three first-round exits and one second-round exit.

With star rookie Derik Queen already injured, many truly believe that the franchise is cursed.

Bill Simmons believes the Pelicans could be moved to Seattle

Usually, when the league expands, it simply adds more teams to the NBA. However, another alternative could be someone purchasing an existing franchise and relocating it to a separate location.

Simmons thinks with the Pelicans’ lease for the Smoothie King Center expiring in 2029, they could be relocated to a market like Seattle.

“If somebody bought them and just moved them to Seattle and paid everybody relocation fees, that way you wouldn’t have to split media rights, that seems like where this is headed,” Simmons continued.

He concluded: “I’m just going to say it, I think there is some buzz starting that this could be a resolution to this situation with New Orleans.”

If what Simmons has claimed turns out to be the truth, it’s certainly no good news for the Pelicans fans as they could lose their NBA franchise soon.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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